Dental massaging, cleaning, and medicating device



Aprifi 14, 1953 c. J. F. JACKSON 2,634,722

DENTAL MASSAGING, CLEANING, AND MEDICATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 195;

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 OFFICE DENTAL MASSAGING, CLEANING, AND MEDICATING DEVICE Charles Joseph Frederick Jackson, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Application January 25, 1951, Serial No. 207,670

Claims. (Cl. 128-62) The invention relates to a dental massaging, cleaning, and medicating device of the type shown and described in my United States Patent Number 2,189,175 dated the 6th day of February 1940 and an object of the invention is to provide a device more suitable for the work for which it is designed and which permits of the production of arubber prod having the required stifiness and of the production of a rubber cup having the required resiliency and which also allows of the prod being used independently of the cup if so desired.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of the device mounted on the end of a tooth brush handle. 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view through the device and part of the handle.

Fig. 3 is an invert plan view of the device mounted on the handle.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view centrally through the cup.

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the cup.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed side view of the prod.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the prod.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slight modification in the manner in which theprod and cup are assembled.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In the device disclosed in my patent above referred to the cup and prod were integrally formed and I have since found that for efficient use the prod requires to be formed a flexible material having suiiicient stiffness for the work it is required to do in the interdental spaces and that the cup requires to be of a softer resilient material in order to do effective work on the teeth and gums and without injury to either.

In an integrally formed prod and cup formed from rubber it has been found impractical to obtain the desired stiffness of the prod and the desired resiliency of the cup and the present invention relates to a structure which permits of the formation from rubber of a dental massaging, cleaning and medicating device having a prod formed from a relatively stifi rubber and a cup formed from a relatively soft resilient rubber and also permits of the prod being used independently as and when desired.

Referring now to the drawing it will be seen that the cup I is substantially bell shaped, the wall 2 thereof flaring outwardly from the base 3 to the open mouth 4 and gradually diminishing in cross section in a downward direction and terminating in a relatively thin or feathered edge 5. The base of the cup is supplied with a central opening 3 there being an internal shoulder reserved at 6.

The prod 'l is of tapered form and may have any desired cross section and has a length such that the pointed end extends at some distance from the mouth of the cup when the parts are assembled. In the drawings the prod is shown as circular in cross section and as provided with facial lengthwise extending ribs 1 which are suitably spaced.

The rod has a screw 8 extending centrally from its butt end, the screw having an enlarged head 8' moulded in the butt end thereof. The butt end of the prod is somewhat larger than the opening 3 of the cup, the reason for which will shortly appear.

When it is desired to assemble the device and attach it to a support such as the end of a tooth brush handle 9, the screw of the prod can be screw threaded into an opening I provided in the handle until the butt end of the prod is firmly seated (see Fig. 2) and then one passes thecup forcibly over the prod until its base engages the handle. As the cup approaches the handle its base is expanded by the prod so that it is effectively frictionally held in working position. Obviously it is an easy matter to remove the cup if it be desired to use the prod independently.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the cup held in a different manner to that shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 8 thecup has been placedin position against-the handle and the prod has been entered and screwed into place. The butt end of the prod is engaged with the internal shoulder 6 and the base of the cup is jammed between the prod and the handle.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be seen that the prod and cup are independently formed and accordingly it is possible to make the prod from a relatively hard rubber' having the required stiffness for eflicient work in the interdental spaces and the cup from a relatively soft resilient rubber for effective work on the teeth and gum surfaces. It is also possible to use the prod independently if desired.

In connection with the above disclosure it will be understood that any suitable means can be utilized for attaching the prod to the support and that if desired and. after formation the prod and cup could be cemented together to provide a unitary structure having the required stiff rubber prod and the required soft rubber cup.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A tooth cleaning and gum massaging device comprising a resilient soft rubber cup and a relatively hard rubber prod within the cup and extending beyond the mouth thereof.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 with means to attach the device to a support.

3. A tooth cleaning and gum massaging device comprising a soft rubber cup and a separately formed hard rubber prod within the cup ancl extending beyond the mouth thereof and means for securing the assembled device to a support.

4. A tooth cleaning and gum massaging device comprising a relatively hard rubber, tapering prod having means for attaching the large end to a support and a relatively soft rubber cup surrounding the prod and with its base frictionally engaging the large end of the prod.

5. A tooth massaging, cleaning and medicating device comprising a bell shaped, soft rubber cup, a hard rubber tapering prod centrally within the cup and extending therebyeond and having its large end engaging the base of the cup and an attaching screw secured to the large end of the prod and extending through a receiving opening in the base of the cup.

CHARLES JOSEPH FREDERICK JACKSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 1,720,017 Touchstone July 9, 1929 2,189,175 Jackson Feb. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 149,565 Switzerland Sept. 15, 1931 498,423 Great Britain Jan. 9, 1939 

